just prayin' that imma wake up in 6 hours and 30 minutes and that the first thing I see when I'm opening my computer is a blockbuster deal that lands us Al Jefferon who then signs a 4 yrs 48M extension.

Chicago is likely to be desperate. Given how cheap they have been over the years, I can't see them going in to the luxury tax.... but on top of that it would be burning a year counting towards the repeater tax.

The trade last night with PHX/HOU/SAC involved also caused some problems for CHI as seen here:

The first real “deadline” deal in the NBA went down today, with the Houston Rockets, Sacramento Kings and Phoenix Suns combining to send Thomas Robinson to Houston and reunite the Morris twins — Marcus and Markieff — in Phoenix.

Now, you may well be saying to yourself, “Why do I care? And isn’t this a Chicago Bulls blog?” To which I say, “Touché.” However, there is a Bulls angle here. And it starts with Richard “Rip” Hamilton.
Sad Rip Hamilton is sad.

Of the three teams involved, two of them stood as potential candidates for a Rip Hamilton salary dump. Both the Rockets and Suns had enough cap space to absorb Rip’s deal without sending anything back. However, after taking on Marcus Morris and his approximately $2 million cap figure, that is no longer the case for Phoenix. Also, they have to dump someone to take on Morris, and would therefore have to dump another player to take on Rip.

The Rockets, however, would still be an option, at least financially. But Houston seems to be A) building for the future and B) set on the wing anyway. The Bulls would likely have to give up an asset of some sort to facilitate a deal, so any Rip trade pretty much comes down to exactly how much Jerry Reinsdorf feels like avoiding the luxury tax.

Of course, if someone is willing to take on Carlos Boozer and his gargantuan contract, then forget we said anything.

Only teams that can help Chicago now are those with an exception. However I don't see Memphis going back in to the tax and I don't see the incentive for Denver same with Orlando.

I hope and pray Colangelo is holding out for Chicago to include a 1st rd pick. Maybe Houston relents and makes the deal if Chicago included a 1st however that does not solve the $23/24M in salary tied up in Boozer and Gibson for the next 2 seasons.

Why would Chicago/Reinsdorf do this? Obviously it is not a basketball decision, it is a financial decision.

puts Bulls under luxury tax this season (saves $3.75M)

Bulls also eligible for share of revenue sharing

saves a year towards repeater tax

solves the Boozer problem long term without having to resort to amnesty (which still costs team $$)

C'mon Colangelo - get it done!

Boozer/Nate/1st for Bargnani/JL3

Send Haddadi off to someone for a 2nd rd pick (TOR or SAC in '14), luxury tax avoided this season.

Chicago is likely to be desperate. Given how cheap they have been over the years, I can't see them going in to the luxury tax.... but on top of that it would be burning a year counting towards the repeater tax.

The trade last night with PHX/HOU/SAC involved also caused some problems for CHI as seen here:

Only teams that can help Chicago now are those with an exception. However I don't see Memphis going back in to the tax and I don't see the incentive for Denver same with Orlando.

I hope and pray Colangelo is holding out for Chicago to include a 1st rd pick. Maybe Houston relents and makes the deal if Chicago included a 1st however that does not solve the $23/24M in salary tied up in Boozer and Gibson for the next 2 seasons.

Why would Chicago/Reinsdorf do this? Obviously it is not a basketball decision, it is a financial decision.

puts Bulls under luxury tax this season (saves $3.75M)

Bulls also eligible for share of revenue sharing

saves a year towards repeater tax

solves the Boozer problem long term without having to resort to amnesty (which still costs team $$)

C'mon Colangelo - get it done!

Boozer/Nate/1st for Bargnani/JL3

Send Haddadi off to someone for a 2nd rd pick (TOR or SAC in '14), luxury tax avoided this season.

If Chicago is desperate enough they may trade Deng instead of Boozer. A lot of teams could use a SF like him (such as Cleveland who also has cap space). Deng to Cleveland for Andy V and Casspi works.

My opinion probably clouded by my desire for Boozer trade, he does not know what he is yet another person who has been brain washed by US media making us think Toronto is a hockey town with no fan base, unprofitable, and a small market. Toronto is a great market with a phenomenal fan base (imagine if they actually won for eff sake!) in a top 5 market in North America.

#tradeBargnani #tradeBargnani ‏@tradeBargnani

@WolstatSun Raps would have next yr trade deadline to solve a few million $ problm. But you also ignore cap/tax rate increase - Coon est $5M

#tradeBargnani ‏@tradeBargnani

@WolstatSun Also as a fan that is total BS. Multi-billion corp owners in a very profitable franchise & market. We ain't Memphis! @Raptors

I don't understand Wolstat's math. Looking at salaries on hoopsworld assuming all options are picked up, the Raptors have a payroll of $74,348,759. Assuming the luxury tax stays the same as this year it would be $70,307,000.

Kleiza makes $4,600,000. Remove that from the payroll and Toronto will have $69,748,759 in salary which is below the tax line. Unless if he is assuming AA is coming back and that would raise the payroll but that's a big assumption that doesn't have to be made.

Boozer will get them into tax.. but they won't be in luxury tax territory without the Booz, not with my math.

I don't understand Wolstat's math. Looking at salaries on hoopsworld assuming all options are picked up, the Raptors have a payroll of $74,348,759. Assuming the luxury tax stays the same as this year it would be $70,307,000.

Kleiza makes $4,600,000. Remove that from the payroll and Toronto will have $69,748,759 in salary which is below the tax line. Unless if he is assuming AA is coming back and that would raise the payroll but that's a big assumption that doesn't have to be made.

Boozer will get them into tax.. but they won't be in luxury tax territory without the Booz, not with my math.

The Raptors will be over the tax by just under $1M (McGuire certainly looks stupid now: $992K).

Finding a team to take Haddadi for a future 2nd rd pick puts the Raptors under the tax with 14 on the roster.

Next season -

Raps payroll with Boozer (minus Haddadi & JL3) is $75,934259.

Amnesty Kleiza: $71,334,259

Larry Coon has been speculating that the salary cap and luxury tax thresholds are likely to go up $5M (salary cap around $63M and luxury tax $75.3M). If that speculation turns out to be true, then the Raps are $4M below the luxury tax for next season with 10 players on the roster.

Anyways, things certainly get a little more tangly but the key thing is to avoid paying the tax this season as after 3 consecutive years of tax paying, the repeater tax kicks in. http://www.cbafaq.com/salarycap.htm#Q21

*EDIT* I am all for getting Chicago's pick in any Boozer deal - actually I'd likely consider not pulling the trigger and waiting until the summer actually. If the Raps were to pick 16-20 (lets assume 16 to make salary >) then the Raps would be able to draft player ($1.4M) plus fill out the roster with 2-3 minimum guys ($854k). The bulk of the roster for next season would already be set.

I don't know...I do think that BC really does not want to take Nate back at all, which can't be helping any chance of that trade going through. I really don't know what to make of this deal. I think it's actually Chicago's reluctance to flinch that has BC pissed. If instead of Nate it was Teague and/or a 1st round pick, I think he'd consider it. Even with the 1st rd pick I don't know if he wants Nate. I don't think Nate is that bad a player, but game and character are not really good fits for this team at all.

On Telfair, sadly maybe the most realistic PG that TO could trade for, considering other top choices would likely have to be part of a Bargs trade.

I don't know...I do think that BC really does not want to take Nate back at all, which can't be helping any chance of that trade going through. I really don't know what to make of this deal. I think it's actually Chicago's reluctance to flinch that has BC pissed. If instead of Nate it was Teague and/or a 1st round pick, I think he'd consider it. Even with the 1st rd pick I don't know if he wants Nate. I don't think Nate is that bad a player, but game and character are not really good fits for this team at all.

On Telfair, sadly maybe the most realistic PG that TO could trade for, considering other top choices would likely have to be part of a Bargs trade.

The worst aspects of his game are not that much different than JL3. Unlike JL3 he does have more to his game.

I agree on the personality aspect. However, there are just 28 games left in regular season, hopefully playoffs. It is not a long term commitment.

Maybe the goal is to get Gasol and Calderon this summer. Who knows. But any argument about financial implications of trading for Boozer are much more relevant for Gasol - unless you plan on just keeping him for 2013-14.